Neuse River Witch

Adaptogens Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief

September 29, 2019

Today I'm reviewing Adaptogens Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief by David Winston.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Image Source - Adaptogens

Adaptogens
Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief

Let's start by introducing the authors; David Winston, RH (AHG) , is a clinical herbalist and ethnobotanist with 50 years of training in Chinese, Western/Eclectic, and Southwestern herbal traditions. Steven Maimes has studied natural medicine for over 30 years. A researcher, freelance writer, and principle of SALAM Research.

The book has now been updated and expanded this year (2019) from its first edition in 2007.

The information is laid out in a comprehensive three part layout. Part one gives a good introduction of what Herbal Adaptogens are, the history, actions and health benefits. Part two starts with full color monographs on adaptogens for identification, as well as in-depth information for the well researched adaptogens.

Also covered in this section is comprehensive information on nervines, nootropics and restorative tonics.

Part three covers herbal adaptogens in use, including information on clinical use, herbs in combination and also an added chapter on adaptogens for our pets.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Image Source - Adaptogens

I really enjoyed the layout of the book, it is easy to locate what you are looking for specifically. There is both a good index and glossary for those of us that may struggle with trying to remember or get lost in every clinical or herbal term. The authors have really given us a thorough reference book for daily use.

So if you are interested in a very detailed, easy to pick up and find a tonic, tea, or food to prepare with ALL the healthy information including dosages attached...this is the book for you.

Change The World by One Meal a Day - A Review

September 22, 2019

Today I'm reviewing Changing the World by One Meal a Day by Suzy Amis Cameron.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - OMD

Author Links - Link
Amazon Book Link
Amazon Author Link
Good Reads Book Link
Good Reads Author Link
My Good Reads Profile
My Facebook Page

Generally I like to start out with a disclaimer. I am an contemporary witch. I look for the connection between magic and science without the need to search for a creator. I receive no compensation for these reviews and all my links are standard Amazon links and not affiliate links. I am a practicing photo reader and have spent the last 16 years honing my craft. I offer personal readings by request and have a strong online history that boasts over 412,000 views.

As usual, I'm going to start my review with my opinion on the physical book. I received a hard cover dust jacketed book as a gift for contributing to the OMD Blog project. You can find my interview here. The forward of the book is written by Dr. Dean Ornish, MD. A well renowned advocate for living a healthy lifestyle. While not completely plant based I respect Dr. Ornish for his work related to helping create a holistic approach to lifestyle management. I have read many of his books and recommend them often. My particular way of living is more in line with Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. I am a firm believer that oil is at the root of the majority of the diseases of affluence that impact our society today. This book boasts a nice since index and notes section. It even includes a list of packaged foods that are acceptable to those living a vegan lifestyle.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - OMD

The premise of this book and the mission statement of OMD is to save the planet by switching one meal a day to a plant based meal. The book lists vegan options for reaching this goal. To me, I believe in a whole food plant based approach to eating. While it does fit the "vegan" moniker, it isn't your traditional vegan menu. There are so many foods that are vegan but are not good for you. Oreo cookies are vegan but are completely unhealthy. The book is a great resource for information on how much of our resources are used each day by continuing to eat meat and meat products. The author explains that having only one plant based meal a day for a year will save 675,250 gallons of water. To put that in perspective, it is the same amount of water to fill an Olympic size pool.

I enjoyed the section of the book that included the lists of plant based sources for common vitamins and minerals. Page 113 for example, gives a pretty good list of Omega-3S sources. A common source of Omega 3 is attributed to consuming fish. The list contains 23 options for plant based sources of Omega 3 fatty acid. Personally, I try to include chia seeds, sesame seeds and walnuts in my diet daily.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - OMD

Chapter five kicks off your journey to OMD living. The author provides a list of tips and tricks for making your experience a success. The table of grab and go options are a life saver for those just starting on this journey. The idea here is you're only switching one meal a day. As you begin to see how much better you feel, you'll want to change more and slowly remove meat and animal products completely from your diet. I started out my journey by ordering HungryRoot food delivery service. This is a vegan home meal delivery kit that provides a great way to slowly wean yourself off of highly processed animal fat and chemical laden foods. The same holds true for the new craze of the Beyond Meat and the Impossible Burger which are making their way around fast food establishments across the united states. While not on my menu, this is a great way to begin the path to removing animals from your diet.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - OMD

Chapter seven is where the fun begins. The author takes us on a culinary journey to delight the vegan taste buds of every newly transitioning foodie. From Jasper's Red Shake to Food Forest Organics Coco-Mint Slice you'll find a tasty plant based recipe to fit any taste level. You'll learn how to use tofu and coconut cream to make a delicious meal that will convert even the most strict meat eater. There are recipes for chili sauce, pesto and even spring rolls! Eating a plant based meal doesn't have to be bland and boring. After all, most of the meat prepared today has herbs and spices added to it to make it flavorful. Herbs and spices are plants! This book includes a 14 day All-In Meal plan and shopping list to get you ready for the big move to a healthier plant based life style.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - OMD

Over all this is a great book and I applaud the author for providing, to me, one of the most important parts of the book. The Great Eater Meter on page 293 offers the reader a chance to see the impact of animal based foods on our environment. One stick of butter for example, takes 173 gallons of water to produce. One cup of milk takes 43 gallons of water. When you begin to look at the impact of the individual choices we make everyday on our planet, you really can see how you can be the change you want to see in this world.

If you're on the fence about this, I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book and taking the time to really learn about a plant based lifestyle. You can look up several documentaries on the subject such as Devour the Earth, Eating You Alive, Forks Over Knives and The Game Changers just to name a few.

The Only Tarot Book You'll Ever Need - A Review

September 15, 2019

Today I'm reviewing The Only Tarot Book You'll Ever Need by Skye Alexander and Mary Shannon

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Cover

Author Links - Skye Alexander
Author Links - Mary Shannon
Amazon Book Link
Amazon Author Link - Skye Alexander
Amazon Author Link - Mary Shannon
Good Reads Book Link
Good Reads Author Link - Skye Alexander
Good Reads Author Link - Mary Shannon
My Good Reads Profile
My Facebook Page

Generally I like to start out with a disclaimer. I am an contemporary witch. I look for the connection between magic and science without the need to search for a creator. I receive no compensation for these reviews and all my links are standard Amazon links and not affiliate links. I am a practicing photo reader and have spent the last 16 years honing my craft. I offer personal readings by request and have a strong online history that boasts over 412,000 views.

As always I'll start with a review of the physical book. This book came to me as a soft cover a little larger than standard size. This makes it a little clunky for reading on the go. The cover is textured and brilliantly illustrated with the Tarot suits on the front cover. The pages inside are very smooth without any texture and it supports a decent size index for the subject matter.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Cover

My one complaint about soft cover books is the way they always tend to bend open after only a couple of uses. I much prefer hard cover books due to this. On the reverse however, (pun intended) the book lays beautifully on a table or other flat surface. This makes it a breeze when laying out your own tarot cards or using the book as a reference while practicing your reading skills.

This is one of many books I have reviewed for this author. You can find more here.

This author takes us through learning the Tarot in seven chapters. She gives us the basic history of the Tarot and what is contained within. Each section is illustrated and in chapter three we are giving instructions on connecting to the unknown and how to develop and trust your intuition. Something so many of us could really use a refresher on, be tarot or life in general.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book

As with most, she jumps into interpreting the major and minor arcana, then breaks down the suits for us in an easy to understand format. Because this book isn't for a specific deck, the author references the names and imagery on the cards to help the reader follow along. Some authors will tend to over complicate this section by making them too wordy or use a $100 word when a .50 word will do. This author lays out the information in an easy to read format which I believe will benefit the novice and versed reader alike. She then dives into tarot spreads and how to use the read those spreads in chapter six.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book

Finally she wraps up with using Tarot in your everyday life. Using it for your own spiritual guidance or creating your own deck and spreads.

Over all from start to finish a fantastic look at the Tarot from all levels. Giving you everything you need to get starting in working with one of the most popular divination tools on the market today.

Wellness Witch - A Review

September 8, 2019

Today I'm reviewing Wellness Witch by Nikki Van De Car. This post includes not only my review of the book but also a giveaway. Be sure to enter the drawing for a copy of this amazing book. I'll be selecting 3 winners, who will receive a copy directly from the publisher! But first, let's talk about the book.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Cover

Author Links - Link
Amazon Book Link
Amazon Author Link
Good Reads Book Link
Good Reads Author Link
My Good Reads Profile
My Facebook Page

Generally I like to start out with a disclaimer. I am an contemporary witch. I look for the connection between magic and science without the need to search for a creator. I receive no compensation for these reviews and all my links are standard Amazon links and not affiliate links. I am a practicing photo reader and have spent the last 16 years honing my craft. I offer personal readings by request and have a strong online history that boasts over 412,000 views.

As usual I'll start with a review of the physical book. This book was colorful and presented with lovely illustrations by Anisa Makhoul. Its a good sized book to toss in a backpack or gym bag and includes a hefty three page index front and back. The pages are not textured as some books do and the font is easy on the eyes.

I have reviewed several books by this author and you can find a few of them listed here.

This book is divided into sections called The Internal, The External and The Home. Each section has individual chapters for Healing, Soothing and Empowering that particular area. For example, the soothing chapters for each section include entries for healing bath rituals, charms for restful sleep and a recipe for lavender chamomile cupcakes. The author takes us on a journey of self healing by explaining that often the most powerful form of witchcraft is that which we do for ourselves. Self care is something that many overlook in the magical realm. Recently I attended a panel discussion on separating yourself from your magical communities as a part of self preservation, or healing if you will. Each of the speakers had their own personal situations that led to a separation and a time period specific to each when they could return to the groups they left and one even was still apart from it. Self care is imperative to a healthy life. Work/Live balance is key. Even if that work is magical work.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Wellness Witch

The introduction of this covers our basic magical garden and our magical cupboard. Plants, crystals as well as essential oils are covered at a very high level with only 12 herbs, 7 crystals and 8 essential oils being included for their healing and soothing qualities. As one would expect lavender oil, amethyst crystal and rosemary hold a prominent role in healing and soothing the body and mind.

As we move into the Internal section of the book, the author takes us through the healing, soothing and empowering exercises. From growing Kombucha to creating a psychic power tincture the others provides a step by step guide to creating a sense of balance in those internal areas of our lives. My personal favorite begins on page 46 and covers the instructions on a divination tea recipe and a guide on Tasseography or Tea Leaf Reading. I have not attempted this form of divination and frankly have never seen it covered in a Witch 101 style book, so this was a new experience for me.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Wellness Witch

The External section offers suggestions to tap into the strength required to deal with those things outside our own bodies. Massage oils, massage instruction and even a fire ritual. My favorite part of this section is the "Finding Your Voice Lip Balm". Just from the title, without a spell included I could see myself stirring the ingredients together, sealing my intention in the mixture. Then when applying before I leave my home for a meeting or before engaging in any speaking engagement, reinforcing my intention to strengthen my voice. Carry my message to the masses. By far, in my opinion one of the best pieces of this book.

The final section is dedicate to the home. It offers an array of wellness practices to help transform the home into a sacred place. A place that the author promises will protect, recharge and purify you. I recognized many of these practices from my own home. They mention on page 100 about adding bells for your door, which as many witches have practiced across the decades, offers tones and vibrations to invite near energy into the space. Making your own with clay, as the author suggests is a great way to bring your own energy directly into the bell or maybe take a bell from a second hand store and paint, write or draw sigils to set your intention.

Wind chimes on page 110, the author tells us is a way to cleanse the energy. I have several sets around my home as well as out in the property to hear the spirit of air as it moves through my space.

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Finally, incense! What would a witch be without this powerful and moving ingredient. I have several types of incense for different occasions. I personally love Nag Champa and Quan Am for daily use and a beautiful cone called Song of India for ritual. The author however, provides a recipe for a different type of incense. This is a way to invite visions or prophecy. Basically you take the herbs and sprinkle them over an open flame after taking the necessary preparations and welcome any visions that come about. The author provides a list of herbs that are safe, and please remember not to use anything poisonous. When in doubt, leave it out!

Overall, this is a great book on getting started into self care. So many witches (and mundanes for that matter) fail to take care of themselves before trying to help others. You cannot pour from an empty vessel so be sure to take the time you need to heal yourself. I found this book to be full of great tips that I had not heard of, as well as some affirmations of some of the changes I have implemented over the last few years to protect myself, my space and my magic from the ill effects of negativity and energy drains. I absolutely recommend this book for the beginner and the seasoned witch alike.

Drum Roll Please! The wonderful publishers of this book have offered to award a copy of this wonderful book to three of my fans! Please use the Rafflecopter link below to enter to win. I will draw the winners this Friday. You'll have 24 hours to respond with your mailing address to receive your copy. Please be sure to add Confessions of a Modern Witch to your trusted senders so you don't miss that email!

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Your Guide to Mastering the Craft - Wicca - A Review

September 1, 2019

Today I'm reviewing Wicca: A Modern Practitioner's Guide - Your Guide to Mastering the Craft by Arin Murphy-Hiscock.

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Cover

Author Links - Link
Amazon Book Link
Amazon Author Link
Good Reads Book Link
Good Reads Author Link
My Good Reads Profile
My Facebook Page

Generally I like to start out with a disclaimer. I am an contemporary witch. I look for the connection between magic and science without the need to search for a creator. I receive no compensation for these reviews and all my links are standard Amazon links and not affiliate links. I am a practicing photo reader and have spent the last 16 years honing my craft. I offer personal readings by request and have a strong online history that boasts over 412,000 views.

As usual I'll start with a review of the physical book. This book is small and will fit nicely into a backpack or tote. I received a hard copy to review and the edges and pages feel good in the hands. The color is a soft pink and I can see where a more vibrant dust jacket might be included in the book store versions. If you're looking for photos, pick a different book. This book is cover to cover with words written in a font that's easy on the eye as well as informative. That's not to say there are not tables. The author did include a table, an extensive bibliography as well as one of the best indexes I have seen to date.

This book includes an introduction to the history of Wicca and covers topics such as creating sacred spaces, casting circles and simple rituals as well as power words in ritual and even a section on drawing down in the (I'm sure intentional) 13 chapters; which makes me hasten to call this an introductory book.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book

The author beings with a history of Wicca. The first sentence sets the stage for the entire book. The author writes: "It is inaccurate to say that Wicca is an ancient religion" and goes on to discuss Gardnerian Wicca created by Gerald Gardner in the 1950s. She further explains Neo-Paganism, traditional Wicca and Electic Wicca. Of course including an overview of the Wican Rede as an ethical code for practitioners. She covers the basic belief system including respecting nature, working as a solitary and covens as well as a tolerance for the beliefs of others.

The following three chapters cover creating a sacred space, casting circles and spells and energy work. To me the most important of these is the chapter on grounding. So many witches start out their practice without being in a stable mindset to attract the type of magic they're looking to attract. While I admit I do not practice Wicca, in my own craft intent is the key to any ritual. I need to be in the correct frame of mind to either welcome energy or disperse it. My mindset is where it all begins and ends. Without proper grounding, my ritual is destine to fail.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book

Chapters five through seven address the ritual itself. From providing a list of simple ready to go rituals for purifying, banishing, consecrating, dedicating and blessing to using witch's tools such as the cup, the pentacle and the athame to enrich the ritual, the author guides the reader through the ins and outs of the modern rite as we see it today. She covers relaxed ritual as well as the formal ritual which may be used on special occasions such as sabbats and esbats.

Chapter eight is all about the wheel of the year with entries for quarter and cross-quarter days. This section is where we find our table which outlines the month with the old English Moon, the Colonial American Moon and the Cherokee Moon representations.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book

Chapters nine through eleven address rites of passage as well as the power words in ritual. It includes daily prayer exercises and chants in ritual practice. Chants are great ways to connect with the energy or power that one is dedicated to. Isis or Hecate (or even our modern musicians) love to hear their name repeated and chanted. I have written several chants to Hecate but one of my favorite is not my own creation. Below is one of my favorite chants, often referred to as the Goddess Chant.

Finally the last two chapters address something, in my opinion, that is a bit more advanced. First in chapter twelve see learn about drawing down and aspecting deities. My first introduction into paganism, witchcraft and magic was Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon. This is where the energy of the moon is called forth and asked to possess the speaker. Generally something that is done by a seasoned priest or priestess of that deity. Invoking is serious business and shouldn't be toyed with. Think of this as a channeling type event, you're asking an energy to inhabit your body and speak through you. Care should be taken before moving into this step. The author does provide alternatives, which is great to see. The final chapter gives us a real world look at Wicca today, including online communities, living Wicca today and adding it to your daily life.

Overall, this is a great book for those looking to share their practice with others. This is a high level look at what Wicca is and how to begin practicing. I love the bibliography, as no book can be the be all end all of a subject. The author references names like Scott Cunnigham, Raymond Buckland, Edgar Cayce and Dorothy Morrison just to name a few. This is a great addition to any novice or advanced witch alike. I could see this as a great gift for the newly initiated as well.

Adaptogens Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief

Change The World by One Meal a Day - A Review

The Only Tarot Book You'll Ever Need - A Review

Wellness Witch - A Review

Your Guide to Mastering the Craft - Wicca - A Review

Sanctuary Hecate Brimo

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Adaptogens Herbs for Strength, Stamina and Stress Relief

Change The World by One Meal a Day - A Review

The Only Tarot Book You'll Ever Need - A Review

Wellness Witch - A Review

Your Guide to Mastering the Craft - Wicca - A Review

Sanctuary Hecate Brimo

Become a Client

Listen on SoundCloud

Sound Healer Certifications

Total Pageviews

Popular Posts

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Contact Form

Archive

Search This Blog